VfB Stuttgart head to Kyoto and Hiroshima for next edition of the Bundesliga Japan Tour

  • VfB Stuttgart to play two matches in Japan as part of preparations for the 2024-25 Bundesliga season
  • Tour begins on 26 July and will conclude on 1 August
  • Sebastian Hoeneß’ side will play Kyoto Sanga FC and Sanfrecce Hiroshima
  • VfB Stuttgart become the third team to play in Japan, as part of the Bundesliga Japan Tour series jointly organised between the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and Japanese broadcast partner SKY PerfecTV!

09 May 2024 – VfB Stuttgart will become the latest team to travel to Japan as part of the ‘Bundesliga Japan Tour 2024’, a pre-season trip arranged in collaboration with the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga and SKY Perfect JSAT Corporation’s SKY PerfecTV! (SPTV) – the official broadcaster of the Bundesliga in Japan.   

As part of the tour, Sebastian Hoeneß’ team will arrive in Japan on 26 July, playing two matches in the Far East. First up is Kyoto Sanga FC at the Sanga Stadium by KYOCERA on Sunday 28 July, before traveling west to take on Sanfrecce Hiroshima at the Edion Peace Wing Hiroshima stadium on Thursday 1 August. This year’s Bundesliga Japan Tour will be co-hosted with the Japan Professional Football League (J-League), as part of the ‘J-League International Series 2024 – Powered by Docomo’.

“As a club with a long and unique history, and after a fantastic Bundesliga season, VfB Stuttgart’s global fanbase continues to grow around the world, especially in Japan where the club has such a strong relationship.”

Bundesliga Chief Marketing Officer, Peer Naubert

VfB Stuttgart become the third team to take part in the Bundesliga Japan Tour series, following Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Bayern München. During their time in Japan, the team will be taking part in a number of fan and partner activations, including open training sessions and media events. Further information will be provided in due course.

Bundesliga Chief Marketing Officer, Peer Naubert, said: “As a club with a long and unique history, and after a fantastic Bundesliga season, VfB Stuttgart’s global fanbase continues to grow around the world, especially in Japan where the club has such a strong relationship.

“Since the Bundesliga Japan Tour started in 2022, the reception for Bundesliga clubs has been incredible, with packed stadiums in Tokyo, Osaka and Saitama. This year, the tour will again encompass two new cities, bringing the Bundesliga closer to fans throughout Japan. This is something very important for us as a league, and I am very pleased that we can work with our trusted partner SPTV on bringing this exciting series to life for a third time in just two seasons.”

Shizuka Akashi, Group President of SPTV’s Media Business Group, said: “SkyPerfecTV! have been broadcasting the Bundesliga, one of the world’s most prestigious leagues, since the 2018/2019 season, and with the understanding and cooperation of the DFL, in the past few years we had invited Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 and FC Bayern München in 2023 to organise a successful Bundesliga tour in Japan.

“We are very happy to have VfB Stuttgart this year, who will be playing in the cities of Hiroshima and Kyoto, allowing many fans to enjoy the excitement of Bundesliga football. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the DFL for their great efforts. We will do everything we can to make sure that fans will be able to experience all that the Bundesliga has to offer and very much look forward to welcoming all German football fans to Japan.”

Executive Board Member and Chief Marketing & Sales Officer of VfB Stuttgart, Rouven Kasper, said: “We are very pleased to officially represent the Bundesliga in Japan this year and to present German football there together with our partners and the partners of the DFL.

“VfB has had notable touchpoints across Japanese football for many years and has cultivated these in the past through the activities of our football school, visits by our junior teams, media activities and coach training courses. This summer, we are taking the next logical step by playing part of our pre-season preparations in Japan.”

“We are very pleased to officially represent the Bundesliga in Japan this year and to present German football there together with our partners and the partners of the DFL.”

Executive Board Member and Chief Marketing & Sales Officer of VfB Stuttgart, Rouven Kasper

VfB Stuttgart currently have three Japanese players on their books, including first team players Hiroki Ito and Genki Haraguchi, and Japan U-23 international Anrie Chase. In the last 10 years, VfB Stuttgart, already qualified for the UEFA Champions League next season, have featured seven players from Japan, including Wataru Endo and Gotoku Sakai, who have both made over 100 appearances for the club. As a league, the Bundesliga is considered the home for Japanese players in Europe, featuring more Japanese players than any other league in Europe. 

In 2020, Bundesliga International and SPTV signed a long-term broadcast partnership, becoming the exclusive home for the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 in Japan.